Livestream: https://westerlyri.gov/TownCouncilLive

Live Broadcast:  PEG RI-TV Channel 18 (Cox) or Channel 29 (Verizon)

 

Written public comment can be submitted prior to the meeting by emailing mleblanc@westerlyri.gov.

All comments must be received no later than 10:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting

in order to be entered into the record of the meeting.

 

 

1.      CALL TO ORDER

 

INVOCATION – Councilor LaPietra

 

SALUTE TO THE FLAG – Council President Duhamel

 

 

 2.    RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS & MEMORIALS

 

a.     Congratulations – Westerly Police Department, CALEA National Police Accreditation

 

 

 3.    PRESENTATIONS

 

a.     Jeffrey J. Frennette, Vice President, The Columbus Day Parade – re: 75^th Annual Columbus Day Parade, Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 1:00 P.M.

 

b.     Westerly Planning Board – Matthew O’Neil, Chair

1.     2024/2025 Planning Board Annual Report

2.     Recommendation of the Planning Board – Relocation of Bus Storage Facility to Protect Public Drinking Water Wellhead Recharge Area

 

 

 4.    CITIZENS COMMENTS

 

     Sign-Up Sheets will be available at the Council Meeting for any citizens wishing to be heard.  Citizens who do not sign up to speak will have an opportunity to be heard following the individuals listed on the sign-up sheet.

 

     When addressing the Council, please state your name and address; please conduct yourself in an orderly and respectful fashion.  Citizens will have up to five (5) minutes and one opportunity to speak.  The comments of citizens accessing this portion of our meeting are neither adopted nor endorsed by this body but heard as requested.  Comments shall be limited to agenda items only.  If the matter is scheduled for a public hearing, the comments shall be deferred to that agenda item. 

 

COUNCILORS’ RESPONSE (Councilors may have up to five (5) minutes to respond to Citizens’ Comments, should not engage in discussions between Councilors, shall maintain decorum, and shall refrain from personal attacks and disparaging remarks.  A level of decorum is the expected standard.)

 

 

 5.    CONSENT CALENDAR (all items are considered routine and can be approved by one motion; however, if discussion is necessary on any item, it can be moved to “New Business”)

 

        a.     Approval of Minutes

Regular – 8/18/25 (amended), 9/8/25

 

        b.     Fiscal Matters

 

1.     Resolution Authorizing the Addition to the Tax Rolls ($1,320.73)

 

2.     Resolution Authorizing the Deletion to the Tax Rolls ($15,794.01)

 

3.     Resolution Authorizing the Addition to the Pro-Rated Tax Rolls ($7,980.74)

 

        c.     Resignations and Appointments

 

1.     Resignation:

a.     Jason E. Abate, Board of Recreation

 

2.     Appointments:

a.     Board of Canvassers, Alternate Member

b.     Zoning Board

c.     Permanent Housing Committee

 

 

 6.    PUBLIC HEARINGS (Adv. on   9/1, 9/8 & 9/15/25   for this time)

 

a.     Petition for Road Abandonment – Terminus of James Street – Steven Surdut, Esq., representing Richard and Margaret Caster, Petitioners – Discussion and Possible Action

 

Recommendations received from:

1.     Planning Board

2.     Town Engineer and Department of Public Works

3.     Police Chief

4.     Fire Chief

5.     Rhode Island Energy

 

 

 7.    UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

               None

 

 

 8.    NEW BUSINESS

 

Suspend Town Council Rules of Procedure – Rule 9(d) – Council Operations to Discuss and Consider the Following Items:  8.a., 8.b., and 8.c.  

 

a.     Resolution Authorizing the Town Manager to Submit an Application for a Loan to the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank for Facility Upgrades at the Wastewater Treatment Facility – Discussion and Possible Action

 

b.     Resolution Preserving the Name, Significance and Observance of the Victory Day Holiday – Discussion and Possible Action

 

c.     Petition for Zoning Ordinance and Map Amendment – “An Ordinance In Amendment of Chapter 1439 of the General Ordinances of the Town of Westerly entitled ‘Re-Enact and Re-Adopt Chapter 1242 Entitled ‘The Westerly, Rhode Island, Zoning of Ordinances of 1998, as amended’” and the Westerly Zoning Map (Petition of Cail and Cheryl Calder to rezone from MDR-30 (Medium Residential 30) to RR-60 (Rural Residential 60) property located at 11 Quarry Road, Bradford and belonging to Cail and Cheryl Calder) – Discussion and Possible Action

        (Order Adv. for Public Hearing on 10/20/25 and refer to Town Planner and Planning Board for Study and Recommendation)

 

 

 9.    COMMUNICATIONS & REPORTS

(Backup materials for the following reports can be viewed on the Town of Westerly website at www.westerlyri.gov.  Written communication is not considered an agenda item.)

 

        a.     Liaison Reports

 

        b.     Town Council – 9/22/25

 

        c.     Town Manager

 

        d.     Town Solicitor

 

        e.     Town Clerk

 

        f.     Agenda Referrals and Backlog Agenda (Items to be assigned to future agendas)

 

        g.     Requests of Town Manager by Councilors

 

        h.     Requests of Town Solicitor by Councilors

 

 

10.   CITIZENS COMMENTS

 

     When addressing the Council, please state your name and address; please conduct yourself in an orderly and respectful fashion.  Citizens will have up to five (5) minutes and one opportunity to speak.  The comments of citizens accessing this portion of our meeting are neither adopted nor endorsed by this body but heard as requested.  Comments shall be open to agenda items and any Town Government matter over which the Council has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power.  Other matters may be heard by a majority vote of the Council.

 

COUNCILORS’ RESPONSE (Councilors may have up to five (5) minutes to respond to Citizens’ Comments, should not engage in discussions between Councilors, shall maintain decorum, and shall refrain from personal attacks and disparaging remarks.  A level of decorum is the expected standard.)

 

 

11.   POSSIBLE EXECUTIVE SESSION

 

The Council may vote to go into executive session for discussion and/or action regarding those items of business exempt from open meetings under Rhode Island General Laws §42-46-4 and:

 

a)   §42-46-5(a)(2) Litigation – Watch Hill Fire District, et al. v. Town of Westerly, et al. – C.A. No.:  WM-2023-0190.

 

 

12.   ADJOURNMENT

 

 

42-46-6(b)  “…Nothing contained herein shall prevent a public body, other than a school committee, from adding additional items to the agenda by majority vote of the members.  Such additional items shall be for informational purposes only and may not be voted on except where necessary to address an unexpected occurrence that requires immediate action to protect the public or to refer the matter to an appropriate committee or to another body or official.

 

 

INDIVIDUALS REQUESTING INTERPRETER SERVICES FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED MUST CALL 348-2505 IN ADVANCE OF THE HEARING DATE.

 

 

The Town Council agenda and supporting documents can be accessed on the Town of Westerly website at www.westerlyri.gov.